Tesla Model S Price Bump Gets Official: $2,500

In addition to the price bump, Tesla's also making a few changes for the configurations and services it offers for the Model S.

If you're looking to pick up an electric car  specifically, Tesla's Model S luxury vehicle  the company is turning the screws just a little bit. Turning the screws and raising the prices.

We previously reported that Tesla was interested in bumping up the cost of its Model S electric vehicle, but it wasn't clear at that time just how much  or by when  the company would make the switch.

However, all of the key details have since been revealed in an official Tesla blog post, and those who might be interested in owning Motor Trends' "Car of the Year" would be wise to finalize their orders by the end of the year. Starting January 1, the prices are going up.

According to Tesla, the company is planning to bump up the base price of its $57,400 Model S by $2,500, giving it a new base price of $59,900 before federal tax credits kick in. However, the company notes that this amount could have been higher given that the rate of inflation has risen by approximately 8.75 percent  if Tesla matched this figure, it would have increased the cost of the Model S by $5,000.

In other words, claims the company, interested buyers are getting a bit of a deal.

In order to benefit from the lower price of the cars, however, potential purchasers will have to submit their reservations by the end of day on December 31 and finalize their orders, "within a reasonable, predefined timeframe after being invited to configure their Model S," says Tesla vice president George Blankenship.

As for the other iterations of the Model S  which mainly differ based on the size of the battery found within the vehicle itself, in addition to its speedier "Performance" version  each will see a standard $2,500 increase added to the cost of the car. That puts the base price of the top-shelf "Performance" version of the Model S at $94,900, which goes down to $87,400 once the aforementioned tax credit is factored in.

Tesla's also making slight changes to the various configurations of the Model S lineup. All of the vehicle's versions will now include heated front seats, and the performance version of the car will run 19-inch wheels tires by default (with an upgrade to 21-inch wheels and tires available for an additional $3,500.)

Tesla's also offering an extension to the optional four-year maintenance program for the Model S, which will allow owners to increase their coverage an extra four years (and 50,000 miles) for the same cost as the original maintenance package. That's eight years and 100,000 miles of maintenance for a total of $3,800 (or $4,800 for unlimited Tesla Ranger visits).

Model S purchasers will be able to order a new battery for their cars directly from Tesla, costing anywhere from $8,000 for a 40 kWh battery to $12,000 for a 85 kWh battery. The batteries, sold at a fixed price, will be able to be installed into a driver's car at any point after the eighth year of ownership.

David Murphy got his first real taste of technology journalism when he arrived at PC Magazine as an intern in 2005. A three-month gig turned to six months, six months turned to occasional freelance assignments, and he has since rejoined his tech-loving, mostly New York-based friends as one of PCMag.com's news contributors.
His rise to (self-described) fame in the world of tech journalism began during his stint as an associate editor at Maximum PC, where his love of cardboard-based PC construction and meetings put him in...
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